Royals split weekend series with Newfoundland, fall, 3-1

Reading, PA – Corey Mackin scored for the fifth straight game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a two-goal, first-period deficit as the Reading Royals dropped to Newfoundland, 3-1, in the final game of a back-to-back set Saturday at Santander Arena. The Royals (23-14-5-0, 51 pts., 2nd North) still hold the second-place spot in the North Division.Felix Sandström (2 GA) stopped 23 of 25 shots faced in his first game with Reading since Jan. 12 at Worcester. The Royals play two straight on the road next Friday and Saturday at 7:00 p.m., then return home for Ladies Night (Feb. 7) and the team’s annual Pink in the Rink game Sat., Feb. 8, pres. by Lamar Outdoor Advertising and Adams & Associates.Box ScoreMidway through the first period, Growlers forward Brady Ferguson cut to the net and tipped home a crease-bound pass from Marcus Power, beating Sandström to open the scoring. Later on a Growlers’ power play, Trey Bradley picked up the loose puck in the low slot and skated the biscuit around a sprawling Sandström to make it 2-0.With a power play winding down in the second period, Corey Mackin fired a low shot that squeezed through a Garrett Mitchell screen past Angus Redmond (30 svs, win) to cut the Royals’ deficit in half on the power play.Newfoundland forward Zach O’Brien sealed the Growlers’ win with an empty-net, power-play goal in the final minute.Against the normThe weekend set between Reading and Newfoundland saw the two lowest scoring games between the clubs this season. Excluding the empty-net goal in the final minutes Saturday, Reading allowed two even-strength goals in two games to the highest scoring team in the Eastern Conference.Before this weekend, eight of the nine season-series games saw at least seven goals scored per contest, with the lowest output being a 3-2 Newfoundland overtime win on Oct. 12. On Friday, the clubs combined for five goals in a 4-1 Reading victory before scoring just four total markers on Saturday, the lowest through 11 games between the Royals and Growlers. Between the two teams, nine different players have recorded ten or more points through 11 games in the season series.Upcoming Home Games: royalshockey.com/promotions Fri., Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Atlanta (Ladies Night/Wine Tasting)Free Wine Tasting on the concourse with Deerfoot Vineyards, Black River Farms and RoseLawn Bistro | College ID Night: $5 tickets with valid college ID at box office| $1 SmoothiesSat., Feb. 8 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Wheeling (Pink in the Rink)Royals play on pink ice with Fleece Blanket Giveaway to the first 1,500 fans | Breast Cancer Awareness Jerseys$1 Pink Rose Draft Cider | Doubleheader: 1 ticket also gets you admission to the Alvernia Women’s Hockey Game at 2:00 p.m.Sun., Feb. 16 at 4:00 p.m. vs. Worcester (Kids Club Game)Last free postgame skate of the season, presented by Body Zone | Team Photo Giveaway | $1 Hot Dog, $1 Soda & $1 Nacho Concession Special Pricing | Game Included Kids Club Packages presented by Applebee’s, Schuykill Valley Sports and YMCA of Reading and Berks County (Sign Ups Available)About the RoyalsThe Royals are in their 19th ECHL season and are proudly affiliated with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Royals won the Kelly Cup in 2013, have made the playoffs 14 times, and are four-time division champions. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena and the Santander Arena Performing Arts Center.Listen to all Royals broadcasts at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals or by downloading the Mixlr App from the App Store or Google Play. All Royals away games are broadcasted on BCTV (Ch. 15 Comcast, Ch. 19 Service Electric) and Mixlr.